Violet Venom - A Tangled Fan-Fiction
by Michael-GoldenHeart23
Summary: A LOST LOVE, A VENGEFUL DEED! A LEGION OF THE UNDEAD. Join Rapunzel, the legendary princess of Corona, on an entirely new and chilling thrill ride. Rapunzel, Eugene, Cassandra, and all of their friends are trapped in a ghoulish nightmare. A mysterious power is causing the dead to rise again and the kingdom of Corona is in peril! The gang is in for one frightful night.
1. Chapter 1 - Mercy Mission

**Chapter: 1 Mercy Mission**

****_Evil is maternal. Rapunzel feels the shackles clasped over her wrists. The kerchief around her mouth tightens and her green eyes widen. Her endless blonde locks are flung out the window by the only mother she knew. The black-haired, vile woman sinks into the shadows while Rapunzel's hair loses its slack. The golden strands tighten and a man's forearms come into view. His ascent mirrors the love he brought to her heart and she remembers her new dream. His caring eyes and tender smile grant her a moment of serenity. They fade with her wild flailing as she desperately tries to warn him of the trap. But she, like her rescuer, is too late. His eyes shut and he winces as a knife delivers a fatal blow..._

Rapunzel doesn't awaken with a scream, but rather a furious whimper. Her hands rigorously pat her blankets before her fingers dig into them. She bolts upright with a trembling grimace and tears begin to flow. More escape with each blink of her eyes and her hair is a wild mess. She isn't loud enough to wake anyone, leaving her to face her trauma alone. Pascal, Rapunzel's chameleon, rolls over on the nightstand beside her. She finds solace in petting his scaly noggin. His eyes start to open and she tucks a tiny kerchief over him. "Shhhh," she whispers with a faint smile. Thoughts of her horrid nightmare return and she rises from her bed. All seventy feet of her hair trails across the soft carpeting as she creeps towards the door. Moonlight shines against her fuchsia nightgown when she roams the hallway. Faded, yet powerful memories of her love in agony quicken her pace. She reaches another door and slowly pushes it open.

There rests the love of her life. His eyes are shut as they were long ago. His rising chest and adorable snore bring peace to Rapunzel's mind. She kneels at his bedside and caresses his cheek. Its warmth invites her to rest her head against his chest, so that she can hear his soft heartbeat. She feels his forearm rise and his hand rubs her shoulder. "Hey," he whispers.

Rapunzel feels guilty for waking him, but his tender smile defeats such thoughts. "Hey," is all she can utter before embracing him. Sensing her distress, he rises to better hold her in his arms. "It happened again, Eugene."

Eugene frowns. "That same bad dream, huh? I'm alright." He kisses her forehead. "Thanks to you."

"I should be over it," she replies. "That day, Mother Gothel, all of it. But there are wounds not even magic hair can heal."

"Everyone has wounds like that," Eugene says. "All we have to heal them is each other." He leans in and the two share a soothing kiss. Rapunzel spends several of the night's hours wrapped in Eugene's arms. He tries his hardest to keep up a gentle conversation, but tiredness gets the best of him. His soft speech slurs and his head falls against Rapunzel's neck. She simpers and plants a kiss on his cheek before returning to her room. Upon doing so, she steps out on her verandah to feel the nighttime breeze. Rapunzel peers across Corona's capital city and finds calmness in its surrounding waters. But something remains off-putting. There is a peculiar chill in the air and peace subsides to eeriness. Rapunzel raises her brow, suspicious of the feeling. If her handmaiden was present, she would've felt it as well. Instead Cassandra was somewhere out in the blackness, serving the kingdom as she always had. 

The gallop of palace steeds fills the night. Wind howls and decrepit branches sway wildly over a tired path. The golden gleam of Corona's knights is barely recognizable in the moonlight. Their crested helms form proud silhouettes in the darkness. Among them is Cassandra, riding beside her adoptive father, the captain of the guard. She feels underdressed for the mission, but was caught off guard by its urgency. Rather than don the bulky armor of her comrades, Cassandra wears her usual adventure tunic. Its brown textures compliment the encroaching woodland and she practically blends in. Her black, bob-cut hair bounces with each of her horse's strides. Determination glimmers from her hazel glare as the party rides deeper into the forest.

"So I'm not complaining," Cassandra says. "But why'd you want me to tag along so badly, Dad?"

The captain's mustache twitches. "Because you know this village and its inhabitants. You used to make supply runs there all of the time."

Cassandra nods. "I see. What is all of this about? You told me to mount up and that you'd explain later. Well, it's later."

She can barely hear his response over the stomping horses. "A village crier rushed to Corona earlier this afternoon. He said a young man had fallen terribly ill, and that no one had ever seen a sickness like this before. It gave King Frederic flashbacks to when Queen Arianna was sick. Only there's no magic flower this time. All of this coinciding with a missing guardsman makes things all the more dire."

"What kind of sickness are we talking about here?" Cassandra asks.

"We're about to find out," the captain says. He points toward village lights in the distance. "As servants to the crown, we must look after every Coronan citizen. We need to understand what this illness is and if it's contagious. Hopefully our apothecary can provide better insight."

Cassandra glances back at the doctor trying to keep up. He is flanked by two guards helping to carry his supplies. Though his face seems stern, Cassandra sees the worry in his silver eyes. The village seems emotionally disheveled. Gasps and hollers sound between homes as the cavalry arrives. Groggy villagers emerge from their rickety homes to try and explain the commotion. The village crier leaps from a nearby stoop and salutes the guards. "Where is the lad?" the captain asks. The crier jabs his frantic finger at one of the two floor homes. The captain examines the old building and motions to his daughter. "Recognize it?"

"That's the Weber's house," she replies. "Charlotte Weber makes some of Corona's finest fabrics there." As if on cue, Charlotte emerges from the house with reddened eyes. She scrubs the tears off her cheeks and dashes towards Cassandra. "Charlotte?" Cassandra gasps. "What happened?"

"It's Walter," she weeps.

Cassandra and the captain immediately dismount. "He's the one who's sick?" Cassandra asks. Her mind flashes memories of the teenager's contagious laugh and smile.

Charlotte somberly nods. "He's gone." Cassandra and her father exchange mournful glances and prepare to give condolences. Charlotte catches on and stops them with her hand. "No! I mean he's left!" She urgently grabs Cassandra by the sleeve and rushes towards her house. Moonlight seeps through the clouds and highlights a shattered window on the second level.

"What in the world?" Cassandra whispers.

"His fever was rising," Charlotte explains. "So I had him lay down again. Moments later, I heard a crash and he was gone!"

"A fall like that could've killed him," the captain says. "He couldn't have gone far."

A scream sounds from the adjacent side of the village. Cassandra and her father rush into action. Charlotte scurries behind them, hoping her son is safe. The captain draws his sword when he sees several of his men scrambling through a crowd. The shuffling of heads and profuse shouting makes comprehension all the more difficult. The captain clears a path through the villagers and finds two of his men striking at the ground. A third guard is flailing across the dirt as a lanky humanoid clasps to him. The bony being gargles and snarls until its victim lets out a shriek. Blood paints the soil and the captain lunges to intervene. He kicks the assailant and frees the guard from beneath him.

While the captain tends to his ailing man, Cassandra gets a closer look at who...or what was assaulting him. Though the entity appears human, closer observation reveals it to be skeletal. It twitches from her father's strike and its eye sockets have a violet glow. Fresh blood drips from its teeth and fingers.

"Doctor!" the captain shouts while applying pressure to the man's wound. "Hurry!"

The old apothecary darts through as Cassandra clears a path for him. She urges the villagers to back away and return to their homes, but they barely move. They remain fixated on the bizarre skeleton trembling on the ground. The apothecary kneels before his patient and draws a kerchief to wipe blood. The guard shakes reluctantly and the captain tries to calm him. "I know it hurts," he says. "The doctor's going to-"

Much to everyone's shock, the wounded guard lets out a horrid screech. His green pupils roll up and start glowing purple. Cassandra yanks her father back and the afflicted guard attacks the apothecary. Screams erupt when he chomps down on the doctor's hand. The panic intensifies when the once stunned skeleton pounces on a villager. A shrill of shrieks sound in the surrounding forest. Pairs of violet eyes sway at increasing speeds as more skeletons emerge from the blackness. Some of the beings still posses remnants of clothing and decaying flesh. Each sprints towards a victim to sink its teeth into.

"To arms!" the captain yells. Cassandra and the other guards draw their swords to engage the gruesome attackers. Villagers scatter and some are picked off in the process. Cassandra digs her blade into one of the undead's forearms and it roars in response. She repulses and delivers a swift kick to its chest. She spots the apothecary stumbling amidst the chaos. His eyes match the other creatures and his lips shine with the blood of his victims. Horses whinny wildly and the grass is riddled in broken glass.

The captain decapitates one of the skeletons and it crashes into the dirt. "Cassandra!" he calls. "Get the people out of here!"

"What about you?" she asks.

"I'll catch up. Just go!"

Cassandra reluctantly, yet earnestly follows his orders. She raises her sword and beckons what villagers she can to follow her. She cringes when a guard is swarmed by skeletons and dragged into the shadows. Multiple infected villagers blend with those fleeing and strike savagely. Charlotte buries her nails into Cassandra's arm out of sheer fright. Cassandra ushers her and what other survivors she can onto a hay cart. "Fidella!" she shouts. "Fidella!" Cassandra's tan steed sprints to the cart and is quickly harnessed to it. "Get us to the castle as fast as you can!" she orders. "Do not stop for anything. I mean it."

Skeletons and infected villagers swarm the cart as Fidella picks up speed. The mare's sharp whinnies make Cassandra cringe. The survivors scream and huddle in the cart's center. All they can do is bury their faces into one another to avoid observing the horrid creatures. Cassandra kicks an infected villager off of the cart and struggles to maintain her footing. She feels gravity overwhelm her and her arms swing wildly. The cart scrapes against a home and Cassandra is flung off. She watches the world around her spin into darkness as her body crashes against the ground. Dirt puffs against her face as she rolls uncontrollably. A blunt surface strikes the back of her head and she buckles in response. Pain swells but Cassandra cannot lift her arms to nurse it. Instead she finds herself dizzy and ever so heavy. Her head collapses against the earth and her surroundings gradually fade. Her eyes submit to a rising blackness as the rest of the world becomes a flicker of color. Her throbbing head quiets and sounds mesh together. Screams become a distant echo as her ears grow numb. Cassandra feels herself falling, even though she has already met the ground. She goes limp as the night's madness ensues.


	2. Chapter 2 - Forsaken

**Chapter: 2 Forsaken**

The first sound to return to Cassandra is that of fire crackling. Muffled screams coexist with heavy footsteps echoing throughout the night. The pain on Cassandra's head returns in full force and a crash sends her bolting upright. She bumps her head on the carriage she's trapped under and bites back a groan. Gruesome feet tread past her line of sight and her living nightmare materializes once more. The village's few survivors are still scattering as Cassandra wonders how many are infected. She finds safety in realizing her sword is still in its scabbard. She remains tucked beneath the carriage like a rabbit in its burrow. Something catches her eye past the forest of undead legs. A woman no older than her is hiding under an adjacent carriage. Her red hair is disheveled and fear grips her eyes. She wants to shout for Cassandra to help her, but cannot bear to let the undead hear her.

Cassandra meets the woman's gaze and motions to a barn across the pathway. "Stay down," Cassandra mouthes. The villager understands and mirrors her crawl. Together they gingerly sneak beneath wreckage, praying a single misstep won't alert the undead. It's hard for Cassandra to maintain hope when she hears the clamor of royal armor amongst those infected. She holds out thinking that her father is still out there and remembers her training. With a stern glare and gritted teeth, Cassandra persists toward the barn. She's nearly there when she hears a clink across the way. Her head swivels back and she sees the villager has accidentally nudged a vase.

Horror grips her face as she struggles to stay still, but the damage is done. The undead and infected utter unanimous roars. Cassandra watches their legs dart for the villager as she yells hopelessly. She tries kicking one of the creatures, but that only gives it a firm grip on her leg. Her fingers wildly claw the soil as the entity drags her to its brethren. Cassandra freezes, watching in sheer terror as the undead swarm her from all sides. Her flailing limbs disappear beneath a wave fleshy skulls. Her cries cease and her arms shoot up with immense strength. For an instant, Cassandra believes the villager is actually resisting. Instead the woman rises with the same violet eyes as the others. Bite marks on her leg and shoulders still bleed as she stumbles about. She shoves the other undead off of her and they trail off in different directions. Cassandra backs up towards the barn, never once taking her eyes off of the monstrous horde. She regrets ignoring the doors when a pair of arms snatches her from behind.

Cassandra's initial reaction is to elbow her attacker, but he's already seized her arm. His other hand cups over her mouth and she whiffs the fine leather of his glove. Her deductions are proven right when the man whispers, "It's me." Recognizing her father's voice, Cassandra ceases her struggle and slips into the barn with him. They gently shut the doors and share a brief embrace. "I thought they'd gotten you," the captain says.

"It's good to see you still safe," Cassandra replies. "What in heaven's name is going on?"

"I'm not sure," he says. "These people are sick with something tremendously contagious."

"Seems to spread through biting," Cassandra adds.

"We don't know how far this plague stretches. The capital needs to hear of this."

"How do you suppose we get back there?" Cassandra asks.

"We can make a break for it."

Cassandra raises a brow. "You have a bad leg, father. You won't get far."

"I'll manage," he assures. A screech outside makes both of them flinch. The sounds of another person's mauling permeate the barn's thick walls. Cassandra feels something trickle on her shoulder. Several blood droplets race down her armor and her father pulls her back. A man lays twitching on the second floor. His eyes start glowing and he launches towards the duo. The captain rolls and seizes the man in a headlock. The infected wriggles free and slams against a barrel. The sound prompts other undead to surround the barn and batter the doors. Cassandra and her father race upstairs to search for an alternative exit. The doors snap and the undead seep in like sand through an hourglass.

"Together," Cassandra says as she and her father kick out a window. They vault onto the rooftop and slide towards a bare stretch of land. Cassandra glances back to see if they were followed. The only sounds of the undead come from the barn, which has now become a distant shape in the darkness. Her father rests his back against an elder oak tree. Cassandra smirks while panting. "What happened to _you'll manage_?" she jeers. "We can't stop now. The capital's still a long way's from-" Her father isn't answering. "Here?" she finishes.

The captain's mustache trembles and he looks to her with teary eyes. "You need to run," he whimpers and rotates his arm. His white glove is painted red with fresh blood. Trying to restrain the barn-dwelling infected came with its own price. There is a brief silence and denial fills Cassandra's thoughts. "It all happened so fast," she says. "Maybe it's just a scrape from when we slid off the roof."

"Cassandra," he whispers. "Look at me. It's a bite."

"No," she utters.

The captain returns a solemn nod. "It's too late for me, but not for Corona." He starts convulsing and struggles to stay balanced. "Warn the others!" Cassandra's instinct is to rush to his aid, but the captain shoves her back. "Go!" he yells as his eyes flush with purple. He lunges up and Cassandra is forced to flee. The infection gains a powerful host in her father, and his strength almost seems doubled.

"Dad!" she barks while keeping her distance. "You have to fight whatever's in you. This isn't you!" Her father takes a swipe at her and she realizes negotiations are pointless. The infection renders victims completely at its mercy, but she had to believe her father was still present. She dodges another attack from him and stumbles over a leafy slope. Rocks and twisted bark scrape against her body on the way down. Her father effortlessly pursues with arms extended and mouth agape.

Cassandra scrambles to her feet and eyes a creekside fishing shack. She stops by its entrance and stares down her father. "Come on then," she growls and grips the shack's doorknob. Her father snarls and charges her at full speed. His rapid stomps mirror Cassandra's racing heartbeat. He closes in and she hurriedly swings the door open. Her father tumbles into the shack and crashes into a shelf. Cassandra takes the opportunity to slam the door and press it shut. She winces as his fists relentlessly pound the door. The heels of her boots dig into the dirt as the rest of her body buckles under pressure. Thick strands of hair cluster and stick to her sweat-drenched forehead. Seeing no other option, Cassandra draws her sword and props it across the door. Its hefty steel serves as the perfect barricade and her father's attacks subside.

She forces herself to rise and kicks the muck off her boots. "Dad," she says. "I don't know if you can hear me, or if you're even there. But I have to believe there's a cure for this. I'm not going to give up. I'll come back with the answer." She wants to crack. The closest person she'd ever had to a real father is just another victim. The more she thinks of it, the larger the lump in her throat grows. She has to focus, for many lives were still at risk and she must see them safe. Cassandra recalls her father's techniques for handling battle fatigue. She shuts her eyes and clenches her fists. Each time she exhales, she lets her grip soften until her hands dangle. She focuses on her breathing and forces herself into the present moment. Once she feels ready enough, Cassandra opens her eyes and returns to the task at hand.

Her newfound calmness is short-lived when she eyes a swaying silhouette in her sword's reflection. Cassandra spins to observe the infected youth and her eyes widen. She'd recognize his short, blonde locks anywhere. "Walter," she realizes. Charlotte's son limps towards her with a listing, violet gaze. "Please don't do this," she catches herself in another fruitless negotiation. Cassandra backs against the fishing shack and contemplates her options. Her best weapon is the only object barricading her father in. To get Walter in the room would require precision speed and accuracy. Cassandra's plotting ceases when Walter lunges at her.

She kicks him back and reaches for her sword. Doubt stops her and she realizes capturing him is impossible. She dodges Walter's swipes and attempts to knock him out. Any strikes to his head only bruise and anger him. If the infection could reanimate the dead, it could keep him from losing consciousness. Cassandra miscalculates a kick and Walter tackles her the ground. Leaves burst into the air and crunch beneath Cassandra's back. She grits her teeth and struggles to pry Walter off of her. His grubby hands smack her face as she keeps his jaw at bay. His teeth chatter and bite the air inches from Cassandra. She delivers a punch but Walter persists. The sounds of other infected reverberate throughout the woods. Cassandra's arms grow tired while Walter's attacks intensify. Other undead sound louder in the night and she fears she'll soon be surrounded.

Cassandra was many things. She was a handmaiden. She was a warrior. She was a good soul with better intentions. But now, she had to become a survivor. Seeing no other option, Cassandra musters all strength to one hand to keep Walter in place. Her other hand desperately snatches the dagger on her belt. Walter breaks free of her grip just as she drives her knife into his throat. She twists the blade deeper and knees Walter off of her. His snarl becomes a gargle and his eyes lose their purple shimmer. The boy goes limp and Cassandra cradles his head. She peers at his lifeless eyes and then at the dagger in her hand.

"No," she whispers. "What have I done? What have I-" She drops the dagger and runs her hand through the boy's hair. The emotions she felt about her father merge with those about Walter. Cassandra scowls and tears run down her cheeks. She gently sets him down and furiously punches the ground. Leaves whirl around her as she clenches her shoulders. Her eyes trail off into a catatonic stare, all while her father occasionally growls and strikes the shack door. Cassandra helped maintain peace in Corona for years. She'd defeated countless foes, but never taken their lives. She always imagined her first kill would be that of a savage war criminal. Yet now her thoughts were shattered along with the life she'd taken. Choice or no choice, she killed a boy. A citizen of Corona victim to an unknown plague.

Cassandra scoops up a handful of leaves and crushes it. "To whatever divine, celestial force watches over Corona," she says. "I swear on my life that I will put an end to this sickness, and I will not let another person die tonight." She looks to the boy at her feet and covers him with leaves. "Whatever judgement awaits me for my deeds, I wholeheartedly accept the consequences."

Undead shrieks echo from deep within the forest. Cassandra retrieves her blood-stained dagger and rises to meet them.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Dunn Deal

**Chapter: 3 A Dunn Deal**

A man's scream makes Cassandra's hairs prick up. Its raw reverberation seethes with agony and she rushes towards it. She lunges past a rotting log and finds a bloodied figure in the clearing. His hood collects leaves as his face drags across the dirt. Blood stains his cloak and torso. "Please!" he grunts. "Someone help!" Bushes rustle across the clearing and a trio of undead emerge. The skeletal beings eye their easy prey and race to get a bite. "No!" the man yells as Cassandra rushes to intervene. The man's beard quivers and his fear becomes determination. "Gotcha," he says calmly. The undead trigger a tripwire inches from the man's feet and are sent flailing upward. As if miraculously healed, the man rises with ease and tightens his snare. The undead wriggle in his trap as he unsheathes a rusty longsword. Cassandra freezes, initially bewildered by the scene. With a hefty swing of his sword, the man sends three severed skulls rolling into the weeds. The glow leaves their hollow eye sockets and their slayer kicks them for good measure. He raises his sword to Cassandra and shudders. He rolls his eyes and grumbles. "Lord almighty. I almost killed you, girl! I thought you were one of them."

"Nice trap," Cassandra admires. "You fooled me pretty well."

He notices her Coronan brooch and leans in. "You're with the royal guard? What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know," she replies. "It's some kind of sickness."

"Sickness? More like a goddamn curse. You'd think it was the end of days." He pats one of the headless remains in his trap. "The dead are rising beyond the grave. That doesn't look like the sniffles to me."

"Look," Cassandra says. "There's a lot more going on than either of us understand. But I promise I'm going to figure this out."

" _You're_ going to?" the man scoffs. "Lady, you don't even-"

"My name is Cassandra. Nightmare among us or not, you will show me proper respect. Just because something's affecting humans doesn't mean you stop acting like one." Cassandra's tone is as firm as her posture.

He sighs and bows his head. "You're right. I'm sorry. The locals call me Elgren. Elgren Dunn. I am a hunter who settled here when my family wanted to escape city life. I-" Several more undead stumble out of the woods and surround the duo. "Will get back to you," Elgren says as he draws his bow. "Take out the heads!"

Cassandra removes Elgren's sword and assumes a fighting stance. "Hey!" he scolds.

"You have your bow," she assures. The first undead pounces and Cassandra spins out of the way. She slices its head off with a swift slash and moves to engage another. Elgren launches an arrow into one of the creature's skulls and knocks it clean off. An infected human shoves past its skeletal predecessors and snarls at Elgren. He releases his arrow just as Cassandra botches the shot. The arrow strikes the dirt and Elgren angrily stomps. "What was that for?"

"Only kill the skeletons," Cassandra says. "We must find a cure for those infected."

"What if there isn't a cure?" Elgren protests as another infected person limps dangerously close. "It's him or me!" Cassandra deflects Elgren's second arrow and shoves him back.

"No!" she snaps. "Just run!"

"Where?" Elgren asks with equal intensity. Cassandra frantically searches the darkness as more infected close in. He nudges her leftward and motions to a path. "Follow me." Lacking a better option, Cassandra pursues Elgren down the road. It winds towards a crumbling bridge with a hovel at the end of it. Cassandra hears the infected running behind her. Their heavy, guttural breaths are practically in her ear as Elgren beckons her to the hovel. "Come on!" he shouts as she slides through the doorway. He kicks back the closest infected person and slams the door shut. He barricades it with a table while Cassandra shoves a shelf in front of the window. The two feel their way through complete darkness. Cassandra gasps after snagging a pair of gloved hands. Algren's warm palms contrast the undead's chilling essence. The two find the hovel's center and sit back to back. They clench their weapons as the undead and infected scratch against the hovel's walls. One of the ghoulish undead skitters across the roof and Cassandra clasps her sword tighter. Elgren's belongings topple over outside and the undead rip chunks of straw from the roof. Elgren keeps a firm grip on his bow and steadies an arrow atop it. Cassandra's sweat-soaked back clings to Elgren's damp tunic. Every passing moment brings a new terror to Cassandra's imagination. Her eyes adjust to the blackness and she contemplates where the undead will breach. The hovel is poorly constructed and sustaining exterior damage. Slivers of moonlight creep in from the ceiling's claw marks and Cassandra readies herself for a fight. She'll keep them back with Elgren's sword, and only use her dagger in the worst case scenario. If she must strike, it must only be to wound. She forces herself to see her promise through. No one else would die tonight. Cassandra would have to accept that upholding such a promise might mean sacrificing her own life, ultimately failing herself. Minutes seem like hours as the madness slowly lulls. Even when it simmers down, Cassandra and Elgren refuse to speak. They sit perfectly still, listening to the sounds of faded footsteps and chirping crickets.

Cassandra breaks the silence. "I think they're gone," she whispers. The hunter doesn't respond and she fears a similar fate to her father's. "Elgren?"

"Oh I'm here," he replies cynically. "I don't know how much longer I will be if I stay close to you."

"What do you mean?"

Elgren rises with a grunt. "I mean you'd best get your priorities straight. We could've been killed out there because those things got way too close for comfort. Do you think me some magical, hero archer with a quiver of infinite arrows? That's not how this works, and now you've cost me two arrows I'll never get back. And now I'm even further from my homestead." He lights a candle and his angry mug glows like a demon's.

Cassandra observes the dimly lit room. "So this isn't your home."

"No," he murmurs before spitting. "I'm no slob. When you found me, I was working my way back to home. I thought I'd trap those creatures because I didn't realize how bloody many of them there were. My sister needs me. I saw fire coming from the nearby village." Elgren paces across the room and his speech is breathy. "I told her 'Ava, stay here where it's safe. I'll go see what's happened in town' and now she's probably terrified. I didn't even make it to the village. Those things chased me elsewhere."

"I can assure you the village is filled with infected too," Cassandra says. "That's where I came from."

Elgren hangs his head. "This is an unholy nightmare. What in heaven's name is going on?"

"I don't know but-"

"Yeah yeah," Elgren jeers. "You're gonna find out. And just how do you plan to do that? Those things are rapidly spreading across the forest and you don't plan on killing any of the infected."

"We'll find a way."

"We?"

"We'll get back to the capital and gather reinforcements. We'll fill them in on exactly what we're up against. Then we can trace this plague to its source."

"That's much too big picture for me," Elgren replies.

Cassandra glowers. "Well then what's your plan?"

"I'm going to retrieve my sister and then we're going to get our asses out of Corona. You're welcome to tag along, Cassandra."

"I can't run away from this," she says. "There's too many lives at stake."

"Including yours," Elgren replies. "Do what you wish but I'm going for Ava."

"We're safer in numbers."

"Then come with me," Elgren intones.

"We need help!" Cassandra exclaims but soon quiets herself. Her whisper is sharp and powerful. "We have no idea how far this plague goes. What if it's past Corona? Even with your sister, you can guarantee either of you will be safe unless we figure this out. What if one of you gets bit?"

"Enough," Elgren says. "I won't let that happen. I don't need a cure. I need my sister and she needs me. Our parents died after we moved out here. Ava's blindness was easier when there were three of us taking care of her. Now it's only me. I'm sorry, but my mind's made up."

Cassandra sighs. "My father was bitten." Elgren halts at her words. "If I don't put an end to this, I could lose him."

Elgren strokes his short beard and scratches at his scruffy cheeks. "That's why you won't kill the infected."

"I already have a young man's blood on my hands. No one else dies tonight. Not you, not Ava, not anyone. But I can only assure that if we stay together."

"You give yourself too much purpose, Cassandra. You can't save everyone and you do what you have to make it home. What you're trying to accomplish...it's just too much."

Cassandra scowls. "Keep telling yourself that and you'll always be disappointed."

Elgren sulks and runs his hand across the doorframe. "This is where I keep my hunting supplies. There's a spare bow and quiver on the shelf. Twenty arrows should serve you well if you know how to shoot." He tilts his bow to the right. "The capital's that way," he says before heading in the opposite direction.

Cassandra purses her lips and sighs. "Thanks," she mumbles and steps toward the shelf. She grabs the bow and counts the arrows in her quiver. "There's only eighteen," she whispers and realizes she _cost_ him two. "That son of a-" Cassandra growls and pinches the bridge of her nose.

Cassandra exits the ravaged hovel to find Elgren has disappeared into the night. On her own once more, she sets off on the long path back to Corona. Despite his irksome demeanor, Elgren shows Cassandra he has some morals. She can only hope his stubbornness doesn't get him killed. She makes herself another vow to keep her focused. "I promise I'll come back for both of you," she says as if Elgren and Ava stand before her.

The night seems eternal as she jogs through the woodland. Cloudy skies shroud all moonlight, but Cassandra's eyes have adjusted to darkness by now. She hears whimpering on the path and finds cover behind an oak tree. She peers over its edge and sees a pair of haggard boots. An infected farmer trips over himself and claws at his own chest. Whatever humanity is left inside loses a fight to the plague and his eyes glow brightly. The undead who bit him trail behind. They wander aimlessly with bony jaws agape for another victim. Cassandra steadies herself and takes aim with her bow. She modifies the string for accuracy and launches an arrow. It strikes one of the undead and the others pounce wildly. Cassandra ducks back into cover and reaches for another arrow. "Seventeen," she counts and waits for the remaining undead to settle. She catches another skeletal fiend in her keen sights. It looks towards her and she fires just as an explosion shakes the earth. Her arrow misses and is engulfed by shadows. The undead screech and sprint towards the blast's origin. Cassandra spots a fiery glow ascending past the treeline. Hordes of infected dash from all corners to join at the epicenter.

 _Just when things couldn't get weirder_ , she thinks. Whatever draws the undead together could be the key to their undoing. Cassandra keeps her wits about her and stealthily treks towards the glow. Her pace quickens when a second explosion booms...then a third.


	4. Chapter 4 - Unity Under Unanimity

**Chapter: 4 United Under Unanimity**

Every Coronan servant stirs as shouting fills the castle. Eugene awakens to Rapunzel's firm shake. "Wha?" he utters groggily.

"Get up," Rapunzel urges. "There's some sort of emergency." Pascal leaps off her shoulder and sticks his tongue into Eugene's ear. The chameleon squeals as Eugene shoots upright.

Royal guards shuffle down the nearby hall and King Frederic is heard barking commands. "What do you mean none of the guards made it back?" his majesty says. "The captain is with them!"

"We have survivors you can speak with," an aid replies.

Rapunzel's eyes widen. "Survivors?" she says. "What's going on?" She rushes outside to catch her mother. Meanwhile Eugene rolls out of bed and practically throws his clothes on.

Queen Arianna embraces her daughter. "I don't know, Rapunzel. Stay close and we'll figure this out."

The royal hall is filled panic and anger. Frederic's deep voice silences as many as it can, but the squabbling persists. "Where are the survivors?" the king asks.

The foyer doors open and several villagers are ushered in. Rapunzel and many others gasp at their disheveled appearances. Aids rush to bandage what they can as a woman steps forward with trembling hands. Frederic struggles to keep his patience as the woman continues to panic. "Just tell me what happened?" he bellows. "I can't put a stop to this if I-" His loud voice paired with all the commotion makes the woman break down.

Rapunzel steps in and takes the villager by the hands. "It's alright," the princess says. "Take a deep breath." Rapunzel gently massages the woman's palms until her breathing slows. "What's your name?" she asks.

"Ch-...Charlotte."

Rapunzel gives her a warm and inviting smile. "What happened, Charlotte?"

"You won't believe me," she whimpers.

"You are among family here," Rapunzel assures. "Please help us understand."

"Demons," Charlotte sobs. "Undead demons!" Rapunzel clenches her hands to keep Charlotte's hysterics to a minimum. "They took my Walter, they took so many! I thought he was sick."

"Was my friend Cassandra there?" Rapunzel asks.

Charlotte nods. "She's the one who saved us. Fidella is her horse."

Rapunzel helps Charlotte to her feet. "Do you know where Cassandra or any of the guards are now?"

"The demons took the other guards." Charlotte grimaces. "Cassandra...she fell." Rapunzel's heart sinks until she continues. "She fell off the cart and I didn't see her again. I don't know anything else I'm sorry."

"No, don't be." Rapunzel's parents and Eugene stand impressed by Rapunzel's ability to remain calm in the situation. "Thank you for your help," Rapunzel says.

"Get her and the others to our apothecaries," Arianna orders her servants.

Frederic waits for the others to depart before speaking. "Did she say demons?"

"That she did," Eugene says.

"Your majesties!" A guard calls from the upper levels. "Come quickly!"

Everyone rushes to the balcony and is immediately struck by a frigid breeze. Their hairs tussle in the wind as they observe several explosions from deep in the forest. Bright, fiery flickers spew smoke and more soon follow. "What in the world?" Frederic gasps.

"Could it be an invasion?" Arianna asks. "But then it would come from the sea. No army could strike this far inland. Not this soon anyway."

Frederic points a finger at the nearest guard. "Put the capital under lockdown. No one leaves or enters until we find out what's happening. I want archers placed in every tower and spearmen at the gates!"

"It will be done!" the guard declares and salutes.

"But Cass and the others could still be out there!" Rapunzel protests. "You can't leave them out with whatever's going on."

Frederic sighs. "Rapunzel, I don't want to imagine the worst possibility right now. I promise we will investigate once we have a better understanding of the situation. We cannot render aid if we are the ones in peril."

"So we just wait?" Rapunzel raises her voice and Frederic glares. She sulks and returns her gaze to the distant fires.

Arianna takes Frederic's hand. "Surely there must be something we can do."

"Perhaps we can send a search party at dawn," Frederic replies.

"Then we must at least give Rapunzel something to do now. You know that girl can't sit idly by especially when her friends may be in danger."

"You're right," Frederic replies. "Rapunzel, I-" The royals stare at a lone, swinging door. "And she's gone..."

"With the boyfriend," Arianna adds.

"Rapunzel!" Frederic calls out as if she can hear him. "Come back!"

Arianna sighs. "Think of all she's been through, Frederic. Our daughter had her freedom lost for so many years. Nothing, not even her own parents, can hold her back.

Rapunzel holds Fidella's face in her arms and the horse finds peace. "We're gonna find Cass. Can you take us to where you last saw her?" Fidella stands proud, unafraid to return to chaos if it means saving her rider. Eugene mounts Maximus, a mighty stallion with an unwavering spirit. The idea of Fidella at risk only serves as greater motivation. Word of the capital's lockdown is still spreading by the time Eugene, Pascal, and Rapunzel slip through its gates and into the night. As they ride further from civilization, Rapunzel finds herself recalling the consequences of past endeavors. She remembers her act of defiance and the pointed stones which cursed her hair to flow blonde again. No matter how much time passed by, Rapunzel always feared a threat long gone in her world. Delving back into the forest reminded her of the wicked Mother Gothel. Rapunzel took heart knowing that she entered the forest on her own accord this time. She went where she chose to venture and the power Gothel once possessed was deceased with her. Rapunzel could not let fear stop her from saving one of her best friends. Cassandra needed her help, and the situation grew further dire when another explosion went off. 

Cassandra feels like she's entered a warzone. Crisped trees topple into ash heaps and rubble obscures the path. The undead and infected keep their distance from the flames and patrol the perimeter. Cassandra sneaks through the smelting debris and fans smoke from her face. She feels the intense heat press against her pale skin. Knowing the undead won't follow grants her a mere scrap of peace. Still Cassandra wonders how large of a wildfire will spread from the blaze.

"One's getting through!" a man yells.

"Hold up!" shouts another. "It's Rapunzel's friend. How'd she survive the explosives?"

Cassandra steps towards the _Snuggly Duckling_ and sees a band of ruffians atop its roof. "Pub thugs," she groans. "Of course...Is this your work, Hook Hand?"

The bald brute hooks a rope and flings it down to her. "Climb on up," he says. "The doors and windows are barricaded. Those blasts are Vladimir's handiwork. I have better things to do than make bombs, like take my piano concerts on tour!"

"What ended up happening to that?" Cassandra asks.

Hook Hand nudges his brother. "Hook Foot says I don't visit home often. He dares me to make a comeback performance at the _Snuggly Duckling_. Of course thanks to my luck, I just happened to pick the weekend of armageddon."

Cassandra looks to Vladimir with a raised brow. "And where'd you learn to craft explosives?"

Vladimir cracks his soot-stained knuckles. "I fancy many methods to harming those who disrupt my unicorn collection," he replies.

"Enough said," Cassandra murmurs. "Well the blasts seem to attract the undead, but ward them off at the same time."

"They don't want to get fried," Attila says through his helmet.

Hook Hand snorts. "What brings an uptight palace patron like you out this far? If you're looking for Tor's going away party, it was yesterday. He quit and became a florist."

Cassandra ignores his irrelevant comment and replies, "I'm here searching for the origin of this plague. There must be some way to stop it."

"None of those things are getting near this pub," Big Nose says. "This can be a safe place for some serious noggin usage." His nasally voice irks Cassandra but she remains grateful.

Just as she finds solace, a stubby old drunk hobbles over to Cassandra. "Shorty," she mumbles.

He extends his veiny hand and flashes a toothy grin. "Right this way, my damn gazelle." She rolls her eyes at his butchered word.

Cassandra twists one of her curls and ponders. "I'm positive the undead rose first. Then they infected people and spread across the woodlands. Both the undead and infected possess an innate desire to afflict as many people as possible. But why?" Cassandra rubs her temples. "It all comes back to something that gave life to the dead in the first place." A repetitive rapping makes it difficult for her to focus. "What is that?" she asks.

She and the pub thugs peer across the tavern's blackened interior. The floorboards vibrate and chains jingle beneath it. "It's coming from the secret tunnel," Hook Hand says. His eyes widen and he gulps. "Oh."

"Oh what?" Cassandra says as she grabs him by the hook.

He and the other thugs exchange worried, understanding glances. "Since the _Snuggly Duckling_ 's humble beginning, it's always had its share of...subversives."

The underground rapping intensifies and growls accompany it. Vladimir examines an axe from the wall and continues the story. "Sometimes wiseguys got a bit too bold, so they had to be taken care of."

"Get to the point!" Cassandra snaps.

"Before we used the tunnel for smuggling, it was an easy place to dump bodies of the less unfortunate!" Big Nose blurts.

The floorboards crack and a wave of bony hands extend towards the group. The thugs gasp and pounce on the entrance. Their burly bodies bounce above the force of so many undead beneath them. Cassandra grabs a mace from the wall and starts bludgeoning the prying hands. Skeletal digits go sailing into the air as she smashes them to powder.

Shorty lets out a yelp as one of the undead seizes his foot. Big Nose is quick to pry the old man free while Cassandra and Hook Foot deal with the others. Attila struggles to heave a piano over the passageway. "Someone gimme a hand!" he grunts.

Hook Hand gasps. "Not my baby!"

"You have a better idea?" Attila quips. Realizing he's right, the two haul the piano over the floorboards and catch their breath. The raucous slamming of unearthed miscreants simmers.

"That actually worked," Hook Hand pants.

"Just when I thought we were safe," Big Nose says. Shorty snorts and takes a swipe at him. "Woah! I think you've had too much booze again."

Cassandra raises her brows and gasps, "His eyes!" Shorty's violet eyeballs shimmer and he looses a breathy roar.

"Dammit, Big Nose!" Vladimir scolds.

"I thought he always hobbled like that," Big Nose replies as Shorty chomps on his hand. He yelps and flings his arm upward, sending Shorty hurling into the air. It becomes a mad rush to smack the infected coot away like a hot piece of charcoal. Shorty flops onto Vladimir and the titan shakes rigorously. His efforts prove futile when Shorty bits into his neck. Big Nose lunges on Attila and scrapes his teeth on his helmet. Attila finds it hilarious...until Vladimir infects his bicep.

Hook Foot hoists a table over his shoulder. "Sorry old friend," he says before smashing into Vladimir's back. The strike sends Vladimir crashing into Hook Hand's piano, thus permitting the undead to break in again.

"Oh nice going!" Hook Hand curses. "And my poor piano!" The undead and infected pub thugs rush forward and Hook Hand realizes he's not making it out. He bends his good arm and beckons Cassandra to it. "It's your only chance to stop this!" he shouts. Cassandra comprehends but struggles to abandon him. "No time to debate this," he says grimly. Cassandra steps on his arm and he pushes her up to the rooftop. He then tears the stairs away with his powerful hook. Cassandra finds her balance on the roof and looks back into the swarmed _Snuggly Duckling_. Hook Hand gives her a gentle smile while his brother is infected. "Go," he mouthes before the undead claim him like her father.

Dozens of glowing gazes remain transfixed on Cassandra. Her heart sinks when they try and claw their way up to the roof. Vladimir furiously kicks at the tavern's support beams and its foundation rumbles. The undead start climbing and Cassandra decapitates two with arrows. Her third arrow lands in an undead's chest and does little to slow him. A third of the roof collapses and planks splinter the undead below. Cassandra readies her bow, even though she knows it won't do much for her if she falls.

"Cass!" she hears a voice call from beyond the flames. Rapunzel and Eugene can be seen riding Fidella and Maximus. Both horses seem spooked by the surrounding infernos.

"What are you doing here?" Cassandra shouts as the planks crack beneath her boots.

"Jump for it!" Rapunzel exclaims. The rest of the tavern roof gives out and Cassandra springs from the edge. Her arms swing wildly until Rapunzel's hair takes hold of them. The princess whips it back and yanks Cassandra onto Fidella's back. Cassandra clenches the mare's mane and then embraces Rapunzel. She lets herself enjoy a moment of tranquility in her arms before urging them to flee. The group rides uphill as the _Snuggly Duckling_ burns behind them.

"How'd you find me?" Cassandra asks.

"We rushed out as soon as we heard what'd happened," Rapunzel replies. "We couldn't leave you out here alone."

"Thank you," Cassandra says with warm, rare smile.

"The surviving villagers made it safely thanks to you. Charlotte spoke highly of your deeds." Cassandra grimaces at Rapunzel's mention of Charlotte. All she can think about is Walter's lifeless body.

"This is absolute madness," Eugene says. "It's a nightmare, is what it is." Maximus shrieks when his hoof sinks into a hole. "And it just keeps getting worse."

Rapunzel examines a series of holes lining the hilltop. Tombstones lay crumbled in heaps beside each and Rapunzel realizes Charlotte was right. "There's so many," she whispers.

"And this is only one graveyard," Cassandra replies. "They're rising up all over."

Pascal tugs at Rapunzel's ear and croaks. "What is it?" the princess asks. He straightens his tail and uses it to point into one of the unearthed tombs.

Cassandra dismounts Fidella and kneels before the hole. She leans in and squints at a purple root. Its glow matches those of the undeads' eyes. "It's a plant," she says as she follows the glowing root.

"This grave has one too," Eugene hollers. "And the one next to it!"

"But where do they all go?" Rapunzel ponders.

Cassandra's eyes widen and she follows the glowing roots as they extend through fields. "The source," she answers.


	5. Chapter 5 - A Match Made in Hell

**Chapter: 5 A Match Made in Hell**

Two undead limp around the dark in a mossy ditch. Their bony limbs clunk about and their glowing eyes sway like lanterns. A swift arrow strikes one of them in the skull and the other lets out a roar. Elgren launches from a tree and loops his bow around the undead's neck. He pulls until he pops its head off and rolls away from the carnage. He catches his breath and gently removes the kerchief over his mouth. The silhouette of a house can be seen in the distance and Elgren sneaks his way over to it. _Nearly home_ , he thinks to himself.

Elgren creeps onto his porch and whispers through the door. "Ava? Ava, dear. It's Elgren." He hears her mumbling and figures she's sleeping. The door is still shut, so no one has broken in. Elgren gently twists the knob and slips into the home. "Ava," he whispers again. "Where are you?"

His heel presses on a mossy floorboard and he follows its mucky trail to a broken window. He finds Ava slouched beside a pile of shattered glass. Her brown hair is frizzled and covered in clumps of moss. "Ava?" he says slightly louder. She turns after hearing him and he gets a good look at her face. Her lips are trembling and her nose is runny. Her milky white eyes now glow a vibrant violet. Blood seeps from a bite wound on her shoulder. Elgren's world slows as reality strikes him. He killed two undead by his homestead...his parents were buried just behind it...Ava never stood a chance.

"Lord," he croaks. "Ava no." She gurgles and stumbles towards him. "Ava don't you dare." He draws his bow and takes aim. "Don't you dare!" he shouts. This only makes the infected Ava screech and rush forward. He kicks her against the wall and keeps her pinned beneath his boot. She struggles to break free as he aims the arrow at her head. His heart thunders and he pulls back on the bowstring. More undead run to his homestead after hearing the commotion. He knows he'll soon be surrounded if he doesn't act soon. The sister he knew is long gone. Another victim of the demonic, incurable plague. "I'm sorry," he says and prepares to fire. He looks into her ghastly eyes and steadies his aim. "I did...what I could..." _So did Cassandra when she tried to protect her father,_ he thinks. His leg weakens from keeping Ava pinned. Elgren huffs, grits his teeth, and lowers his bow. "God dammit, Cassandra!" He shoves his sister away and tumbles out of the window.

Elgren instantly feels several hands grab his cloak and looks up to see an undead swarm. He spins free and they rip his cloak in two. Without wasting a moment, Elgren backs against a wall and fires what arrows he can. He strikes an undead's cranium and frantically fires into another's chest. The undead close in until he has to smack them away with his bow. Ava's trembling hands reach through the window and seize Elgren's shoulders.

"Come on!" the hunter roars in defiance. "Come on!" He writhes and wriggles wildly, refusing to go down without a fight. As he prepares to be bitten by multiple jaws, the undead suddenly release him. He falls against the dirt and watches every infected and undead being sprint back into the forest as a single unit. Elgren is left panting in a sweaty, dumfounded stupor. He chooses to pursue the horde. 

_Earlier..._

Rapunzel takes notice of Fidella's hoarse breathing. "Cass," she warns. "We've got to slow down. I don't think Fidella can take this pace!"

"We can't stop now," Cassandra intones. "Not when we're this close. Faster!" Her wild gaze follows the glistening roots deeper into the forest. The occasional undead wandering their path forces Fidella to keep galloping. The violet roots extend over a brook and lead to a curtain of thick foliage.

Eugene gulps and tightens his grip on Maximus' reins. "Impossible," he says. Cassandra remains confused. "It can't be...Is that?"

"It is," Rapunzel speaks in a barely recognizable tone. It's somber and ominous. One of which Cassandra has never heard the likes of. Eugene clenches his side as if reliving a past pain. Rapunzel doesn't blink as she dismounts Fidella. She runs her fingers across the leafy curtain and clasps a bushel in her hand. She purses her lips and tears down the curtain. A gaping cave of blackness awaits them and Rapunzel has a flashback. First she sprinted from the cave with a joyful heart. Then she'd returned back into her so-called mother's clutches. Now, she had but one choice: to face her past and save the future. "Let's end this," she says.

The group cautiously traverses the eerie cave. A frigid breeze passes as they enter a hidden basin. One where a lone, decrepit, nearly ancient tower resides in the center. Eugene extends a comforting hand to Rapunzel's shoulder as they approach the tower. Every story Cassandra had hear about the _tower incident_ starts to make more sense. She uses her finger to trace the roots up into the tower's windows.

"I hate to bring you back to those terrible memories," Cassandra says. "But how do we climb this?"

"There's a hidden entrance at the base," Rapunzel explains. "Gothel would use it when I was too young to lift her into the tower." She guides them to the entrance while Fidella and Maximus are left outside. The mare rests her head against the stallion's pale neck.

Rapunzel's heart sinks when she enters the tower. Her old, wrinkled artwork still litters the floor. Paper mache heads lay next to ballet shoes and a chessboard. She picks up a dusty frying pan and smirks.

Eugene chuckles, "Who knew right?"

She catches his reference and simpers. All smiles vanish when a unintelligible voice echoes from upstairs. "It sounds male," Cassandra says and draws her dagger. Eugene unsheathes his sword while Rapunzel clenches the pan. They ease their way up the stairs, being careful not to step on any roots. The group stops at the entrance to Rapunzel's bedroom. Cassandra counts from three to one with her fingers and kicks the door down. They rush in to find an ebony jar placed in the center of the room. All roots lead to the dark flower nestled within it. Rapunzel freezes upon seeing the massive portrait of Mother Gothel on the wall. Her cynical glare is traumatic in itself. A Coronan guard rises from his knees and draws his sword.

"What...the actual hell?" Eugene says.

The guard glares at Rapunzel. The dark circles under his eyes indicate he hasn't slept in days, perhaps even weeks. "You," he hisses. "Come to undo her all over again?"

"What?" Rapunzel replies.

The guard points his sword and Eugene steps in front of Rapunzel. "Don't even think about touching blondie," he asserts.

"Father mentioned a missing guard," Cassandra recalls. "What are you doing here?"

"As if you don't know," the guard jeers. "I know you've come to take her away again! Well I won't let you!"

"No one is taking anyone away," Cassandra assures. "Now stand down!"

"I will see her again," he growls.

Rapunzel examines the portrait. "Mother Gothel?"

The guard scoffs and gestures to the painting. "No...Donna. My beloved. We met so many years ago, and our love was pure."

"You're kidding right?" Eugene blurts.

"Then she stopped visiting," the guard continues. He starts trembling and stuttering. "I thought it was something I'd said. Something I'd done. Then I learned she'd died...because y _ou_ took her from me!"

"Mother Gothel was an abuser and a thief," Eugene replies. "She got what was coming to her."

"How dare you speak of my Donna like that!"

"What's with the flower?" Cassandra asks.

"A rare concoction," the guard admits. "Months of spell casting and potion brewing...all worth it for a chance to see her again. No drop of sunlight needed, only a magical incantation and a drop of my own blood to bring back what once was mine."

"It's backfired," Cassandra hurriedly admits. "All your flower has done is brought chaos to Corona. The dead have risen and are infecting the living! If you have any respect for the oath you fulfilled, you'll kill that plant now."

"I can't do that," he murmurs. "Not until I see her again."

"Then you leave us no choice," Cassandra says. The guard readies his sword as the trio converges. "Get the flower!"

Rapunzel whips her hair and grabs the guard's sword. Cassandra rushes him while he's pinned, but he delivers a swift kick to her chest. Eugene slides under them and slashes the guard across his leg. The guard grunts in pain and elbows Eugene across the face. He lets Rapunzel take his sword and disarms Eugene of his. Cassandra recovers and lunges just as the guard turns around. The tip of his blade grazes her thigh and she buckles forward. Eugene crawls towards the flower and grabs its stem with both hands. As he pulls, the plant's roots pulse wildly as if sending a supernatural signal. In response to the source's threat, every infected and undead being in Corona converges on the tower. No matter where the entities are, they sprint in order to protect their source.

Eugene keeps pulling until the flower's leaves fold upward and spray spores into his face. "Eugene!" Rapunzel cries out. She watches her love twitch and swivel across the ground until he too becomes infected.

"No!" Cassandra shouts, realizing Rapunzel will feel the same suffering that she has. Enraged by the situation, she punches the guard across his face. "Tell me how to kill it," she demands. She punches him again when he doesn't answer. "Now!"

"Only its planter can end it," he cackles. "Good luck."

"Cass?" Rapunzel worries as Eugene attempts to bite her. She uses her hair to tie him to one of the bedposts.

The guard seems bewildered by the sight. "What the?" Cassandra angrily hauls him to the window and slams him against the sill. "This is what your flower's doing!" The guard gasps at the sight of hundreds of undead and infected surging towards the tower. They completely ignore the horses and start climbing their way up. "Innocent people have suffered," Cassandra bellows. "More will unless you stop this."

"Not until I see her again!" he contests.

"She's not coming back," Rapunzel says while restraining Eugene.

"How do you know?"

Rapunzel sighs. "Because she didn't die. She faded. I'm sorry, but the woman you loved didn't love you."

"Lies!" The guard shudders. "But...but she said-"

"She said she loved me too," Rapunzel says. "She told me I was her daughter. In reality, all she ever wanted was my hair to keep herself alive for years. You won't find her body. All your flower does is hurt people." The guard looks at infected Eugene and hears the zombies outside. "Please," Rapunzel urges. "Do the right thing. I healed, and so can you."

The guard slowly slides out of Cassandra's grip and caresses the flower. He looks up at Gothel's portrait and hangs his head. With eyes shut tight, he rips the flower from its roots and its color fades. Almost instantly, all of the undead collapses into piles of lifeless bones. The infected lose their violet coloration and start mumbling coherent words. They feel pain from their bite wounds and try to comprehend where they are. Cassandra looks outside to see so many returning to normal while Rapunzel embraces Eugene. The guard remains frozen beside the ebony pot. He holds the wilted flower in his weary palms.

"Was her name even Donna?" he asks.

"I don't think we'll ever know," Cassandra says.

The group heads out of the tower to help explain things to so many victims. The pile of random bones proves to be the most horrendous topic. While Rapunzel facilitates as princess, the guard has a morbid face. His lip quivers as he stares her down. No amount of compliance could erase the toxicity Mother Gothel implanted within. He recalls the stories he'd heard of how Corona's lost princess killed his "Donna." To him, Rapunzel was the reason he'd lost his mind. If he was doomed to never be happy, so too would those who supported the princess.

He waits for her to start talking again and snags Cassandra's dagger from her belt. The crowd gasps as he lunges at Rapunzel with the blade raised. Cassandra grits her teeth and throws herself between the two. She braces for the stabbing and instead hears the guard shriek. The dagger clangs to the ground and Cassandra looks up. The guard's hand has an arrow pierced through it. She recognizes it's feathered tip and sees Elgren crouching at the mouth of the cave. Their exchange is nothing more than a stare at first. Rapunzel restrains the guard while Cassandra makes her way to Elgren. He beats her to the first words and says, "No one else dies tonight."

Corona's recovery is slow and steady. Once word of the resolution reaches King Frederic, aids are dispatched throughout the region. Those who fell victim to the violet venom are reunited with their dailies in time. The missing guard has his hand treated and is placed in the dungeon. Healing would take much time for everyone.

Cassandra removes her sword from the shack's door and her father stumbles out. She struggles not to embrace him so soon and gives him a chance to adjust. His mustache tilts upward as he grins. "I knew you'd do it," he says. Cassandra is quick to rush into his arms. Her enjoyment is short-lived however. As everyone heals around her, there is still one more thing to do.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Elgren asks.

"I must," Cassandra sighs.

"I respect that. Just know I'll be waiting for you when you're done. Just because you have to do this alone doesn't mean you have to stay alone."

Cassandra gives him a faint smile. "Thank you."

"She sounds sweet," Ava quips. She smiles beneath her blind gaze. "You like her don't you?"

Elgren puts his arm around her. "I missed you very much," He laughs and tickles her.

"Don't avoid the question!" Ava giggles.

Cassandra steps towards Charlotte Weber. The villager's smile fades when she sees the wrapped body in her arms. "Cassandra?" She inquires. "What is this?" Her eyes grow tears. "Who...who is that?"

Cassandra looks up with classy eyes. "Charlotte," she utters. "I'm so sorry. We..." She recomposes herself. "We must speak." Tears roll down Charlotte's cheeks as she invites Cassandra into her home. The door shuts and nearly an hour passes.

Elgren watches as Cassandra exits a changed person. Redness flees as her cheeks return to their pale hue. Her eyes wander the ground until they find Elgren's gaze. "It's going to take time...a long time," Cassandra says. "But now she knows the truth."

"Never easy, but always right. It takes a valiant heart to do what you've done." Elgren replies. "You know, I've got a set of targets at my homestead if you'd like to get away from it all. I'd love-" Elgren stops himself. "I'd like to see how you handle a bow." He holds up two of his arrows. "I owe you two shots anyway."

Cassandra takes a final look at Charlotte's house, sighs, and gives Elgren a smirk. "I'll take you up on that." She follows Elgren as he takes Ava's hand. They follow a leaf-littered path the sunrise has painted orange.

"I'd wager he's blushing right now," Ava says.

Elgren groans. "Stop it, sis. I'm not."

A loud silence ensues until Cassandra breaks it.

"He is," she says. 


End file.
